Bumblebees have been on the wing for several months, even on cooler days, but these are mostly the familiar stripy buff-tailed bumblebees. Now we are beginning to see the Common Carder Bee and the Tree Bumblebee both with rich ginger thorax.
Tree Bumble Bee
The Tree Bumblebee is a recent addition to the British list that has spread rapidly since 2001 (Bees of Great Britain and Ireland, Falk & Lewington) and is commonly seen in Dorset; a welcome addition to our pollinators. We are consciously providing nectar-rich flowers in the kitchen garden, throughout the bumblebee season, not just when we need our crops pollinated.
Male Flower Bee
Another bee out at the moment is the Hairy-footed Flower Bee. Both the black females and brown males are feeding avidly on the periwinkles beside the smaller keder (polytunnel). They really do have curiously hairy legs!
Female Flower Bee
Later in the year, on our Wild Wednesdays, we will look out for some of our rare Yellow Loosestrife bees that Hamish Murray from Dorset Wildlife Trust has discovered. If you are a Dorset Wildlife Trust member, you can learn more about the biodiversity that Hamish has recorded in the current Dorset Wildlife Trust Magazine.